Private The Lengths That Were Went

[Darth Strosius]

The Harbinger's medical bay was initially not too dissimilar to other such facilities within capital ships of its kind. Starkly decorated in order to leave the most possible space for medical equipment, cots, bacta pods, and condensed surgical theaters. The unmarked locked door it sported towards the end of its long room would be easily dismissed as storage by most who hadn't served aboard the ship themselves. A spare room for the medical droids to charge, an office for the personnel to relax in between patients, any number of mundane purposes that made it overlooked. A purposeful misdirection.

For beyond the door was no such simple room, rather it was the medical bay's arcane mirror. Fewer bacta pods and cots lay within but their construction was far more expensive and dedicated, runed stone and metal darker than the abyss beyond the ship's hull comprised the walls and machinery respectively. It was dimly lit here and remarkably cold, sporting macabre and unusual instruments along its cabinets and worktables which parodied typical medical equipment and supplies in dark reflections. It almost seemed more like some sort of laboratory or ritual site rather than a medical room. It straddled the line between all three possibilities in reality.

And it was in this room that Darth Strosius had found Himself spending most of His time as of late, hovering next to and flitting around one bed in particular even while the medical officers and Wonosan healers dutifully tended to the patient laid within. His apprentice hadn't escaped Dromund Kaas unscathed of course. Her freedom from the Kainite menace had come at a rather gruesome personal cost due to a device implanted into her spine. A device which had been moved in less than optimal conditions and without the proper surgical precision. The subsequent grievous injury had been the focus of her treatment thus far and the primary source of Darth Strosius's hovering.

Even now He sat in a chair next to the bed, hands folded together in His lap with an unreadable expression behind His mask as He watched one of the medical officers check off something on their datapad before bowing to Him and stepping away to fetch a newly replenished iv bag. He had been sitting in that same chair and in the same pose for long enough that the officer was almost suspicious that He was asleep, were it not for the stare that they could feel in their back as they walked away from the bed. A stare which soon returned to Revna once the officer was beyond the curtain surrounding the patient.

Revna Marr

 

[Revna Marr]

​

The darkness of unconsciousness that wrapped around Revna was deep, smothering, but surprisingly peaceful.

It stood in stark contrast to the events that had transpired on Dromund Kaas…to the life and death struggle that commenced when she was returned to her newly anointed father's care, finally. Revna hovered so close to death, that there were times where it wasn’t certain if she was going to make it through those critical moments. But she fought, with every ounce of strength and will that she had - refusing to let go of the sliver of life that was left within her. She refused to die in such a manner - before she could accomplish her aspirations, her goals in life.

There was so much for her to lose, and it kept her fighting - even when the odds were not in her favor.

She had been wholly unaware when she had been brought aboard the Harbinger - the flagship of her risen, true Sith Master, Darth Strosius. She was nestled deep within the embrace of darkness, of slumber - in a coma - when she had been brought into the chamber that served as a ritual, medical, and laboratory center. Medical officers and Wonosan healers worked tirelessly to keep her alive…all while under the sharp and intent gaze of their Lord.

Losing Revna, His Disciple of Faith - was not an option.

The medical team and healers did everything they could to manage and repair the extensive and horrific damage that had been done to Revna’s spine and affected internal organs, and there was uncertainty on if she would have the use of her legs again, not without extreme intervention. There was only so much they could do...the rest was now up to the comatose Sith woman, and her will to live. The nature of Darth Prazutis’s spinal cage had made removal a grave affair. It should have been done under careful medical care…but Revna knew that he would never release her from his hold. Forcing the spinal cage’s removal had been the only way she truly wished to entertain to gain her freedom from him, from the Kainites. And it had nearly cost her her life.

Nearly.

How much time elapsed from her arrival to when she started to stir was uncertain. Days, weeks, perhaps even longer. The robed and masked Sith Lord never left the darkened chamber, never left her bedside. And though the young woman wasn’t aware of His presence, it was almost as if Him being there was exactly what she needed to continue her fight.

A fight that was won, when she finally felt her senses return to her…one by one. The first indication to those around her that she was coming to consciousness was movement - a twitch of fingers…then the very weak shifting of her arms which had rested on either side of her. What had once been the steady but shallow rise and fall of her chest became a little more erratic and deeper. Her once blank and still face twitched as her brows drew together in a frown and a distinct expression of discomfort and pain rippled across her ashen hued face. A groan rumbled from deep within her chest; a sound of pain and confusion as her body and her mind slowly reconnected and brought her further out of the depths of her coma.

She shuddered, a spasm that turned into mild shivering as her breathing deepened and steadied itself and the frown on her face eased. Then…impossibly…Revna’s eyes cracked open, revealing a faint golden color to the dim lighting of the chamber she had been recovering in.

She had made it, despite every indication that she wouldn't. She was awake, and most importantly…she was alive.

Darth Strosius ​

 

[Darth Strosius]

There was a stiffness beyond the tension evident in Darth Strosius as He watched Revna's unconscious form, a sign that He hadn't properly moved from His sitting position for a few hours thus far. This chair had been His constant companion just as He was hers. He had weathered reports from the medical staff and healers alike in it, gotten what preciously few hours of slumber He had managed over the past few days in it, and it as well as the small table next to it had served as His little office as well.

Datapads and a holocommunicator sat atop its surface, joined by a spare scroll for the healers to make use of whenever they came around. The healers were still learning for the most part but their work had been an invaluable addition alongside the more reliable bacta patches and other such practices. Revna had been out of a full tank of the healing fluid for more than a couple days now yet there still weren't any real signs of her awakening since their escape from Dromund Kaas.

Darth Strosius sighed and forced His sore body to stretch as He turned His gaze away from the bed's occupant and to those of the table instead. There hadn't been any rest on His part, unlike His daughter, and as such these datapads had been a vital resource in issuing orders and keeping updated on situations at hand. The Prophet's brief absence from the affairs of the Order of Wonosa hadn't gone unnoticed but His more hands-off method had been handled fairly well all things considered. Direction had proven essential even if presence was lacking on His part.

He reached over to pluck up one of the more recently deposited datapads and fixed His gaze upon it, resuming His reading about new supply routes and travel lanes being established by local sector authorities and companies. Gaining an edge over the major players of the galaxy via transit was something that the Order had been working on since regaining their bearings after the galaxy had shifted. With the strife in the Core new hyperlanes and routes had to be forged by brave and desperate worlds and companies alike and Darth Strosius had no intentions of being left behind in the race to reestablish connections.

The masked man's scrutinous reading paused as He noticed something on the periphery of His vision, turning His head slightly and narrowing His eyes at one of Revna's hands. He could have sworn that her fingers just- He almost jumped out of His seat when her arms began to move, the datapad forgotten as it clattered to the table when He snapped His fingers. "IV drip, now!" The poor medical officer finished filling the IV and rushed back over to the bedside as Revna shuddered, changing the drip with a few quick movements of their deft fingers before moving back out of the curtain.

All the while Darth Strosius was hovering on the other side of the bed, gloved hands gripping onto the railing so tightly that the metal groaned and whined as His fingers clenched and unclenched around it. This was the first signs of activity that she had exhibited in days after all, He was quite ecstatic and anxious all once just seeing it in motion. A gasp, one just barely loud enough to slip through His mask, escaped when her eyes finally opened. His shoulder sagged in time with a sigh of relief and a muttered prayer of thanks as He let go of the poor dented railing.

"Were I still Human, you'd have given me heart trouble from all this worry my dear Revna."

Revna Marr

 

[Revna Marr]

A voice, oh so familiar, snapped for an IV drip. Revna sensed movement off to one side as her older IV drip bag was replaced with a fresh one, then the presence disappeared once more - leaving her alone with the heavier and far more distinct presence in the Force. Through the narrow slit of her eyes, she slowly turned her face to regard the other figure, though it was blurry around the outside edges. She was groggy…no, exhausted…and breathing felt like a chore. The movements she had made while coming out of unconsciousness had drained much of her energy, but she forced herself to stay awake for the moment - if only so she could look upon the sight of the robed Sith Lord beside her.

Revna blinked, trying to clear her vision as she heard Strosius murmur prayers of thanksgiving. She heard His words, and she processed them for a moment. Her mind, usually lightning quick and sharp as a blade, was sluggish and slow to form thoughts…but once she did grasp what He had said, she felt a slight tug at the corner of her mouth.

He was one to talk about heart trouble and worry.

Brief flashes of memory - recent and older - flickered across her mind’s eye as she continued to stare at Strosius - like she was seeing a ghost, or face lost to time. And He had been lost - and yet here He was. Somehow, impossibly.

It was several long moments before she cleared her throat, or attempted to, and took her first deep breath since everything had happened. With each passing moment, her vision seemed to clear further, allowing her to see better as she turned her gaze away from Strosius for a moment to take in her immediate surroundings. Her mind was beginning to work a bit faster now, though not at the rate it usually did. It would be some time before she was fully recovered, but at last she was out of the worst of it.

Pale golden eyes, far more pale than their usual fiery hue, turned back to the man beside her as she once more truly took Him in. She pondered on the last time she had seen Him face to face like, before the events of Dromund Kaas, before the dreaded Kaggath even. So much had happened, so much pain, heartache, suffering… the trials she had endured. It felt like it had been an eternity since the last time she’d seen Him in person.

“...You’re one to talk…” she murmured, her voice slightly hoarse from lack of use. “...I’m surprised...my heart is still beating…after everything. Pretty sure…I have more gray hairs now…and it’s Your fault…”

Though her tone lacked any sort of emotion, humor or otherwise, the slight upturn of her mouth once again was her way of showing Him that she was making an attempt at mirth.

Because if she didn’t, then she would dissolve into tears. They were not far away, but she held them at bay for the moment. Her eyes grew distant as she seemed to almost look past Him, beyond Him at something that wasn’t really there, before she returned her attention back to Him - to the mask He wore.

Once upon a time, she had always wondered what lay behind it, what He might have looked like. But now she knew, she remembered.

“...It…really is You…isn’t it?” Revna murmured, as she tried to grasp the truth of what she was truly looking at, who she was looking at. It was then that the dam of her emotions began to surge forward, pressing against her ribs - refusing to be ignored any further. A tear, and then another, dripped down a pale cheek. Using what little strength she had in her in the moment, she lifted an arm and reached out a hand towards Him - as if looking for something to grasp a hold of, an anchor.

Something to tell her that this moment was real. It wasn’t a dream-that she was alive, and so was He.

Darth Strosius ​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius allowed Himself a smile beneath His mask as she cleared her throat, having stirred more and more into full consciousness with each passing moment. His attention was shifting between Revna and the machinery around the bed which was giving various readouts of vitals and other such information. All of which were seeming fairly positive and normal, at least as could be expected from someone which had been bedridden and unconscious for a few days.

The renewed IV should help her perk up and keep her coherent but some proper meals and nutrients would need to be brought in now that she could feed herself. Hopefully she could feed herself. If not then she could still be fed normally which would help kickstart her recovery far better than being hooked up to several drips like she had been thus far. Darth Strosius was almost vibrating at the thought, His musings only pausing when Revna began to speak.

Naturally her voice was somewhat hoarse but that was to be expected, to hear it all was more than enough of a relief. He chuckled at her remark and made a little show of peering into her hair for a moment before shrugging. "Grey hairs are typically a sign of wisdom. Besides, it's not like hair dye is expensive anyhow." His hidden smile became strained as He noticed a distant look in her eyes, briefly fiddling with His hands as He glanced back at the displays behind her.

Thus far everything was still holding steady and relatively positive but He knew well enough that her vitals could shift in an instant without much warning. Health was a delicate and precarious upkeep act and Revna's hadn't exactly been ideal as of late for obvious reasons. Her murmured question brought His attention right back to her in an instant though, the monitors forgotten as He noticed the budding tears in her eyes. Darth Strosius didn't hesitate to take her reaching hand in one of His, gloved fingers easily slipping into her own as His other hand reached over to gently brush the wet streaks from her cheeks.

"Despite everything, it's me." There was an almost solemn tone to His words but one that was more stable and reassuring than somber. "Do forgive me for arriving to Dromund Kaas underdressed, I was in quite a rush as you might expect." Darth Strosius had reclaimed His mask collection by the time that He went to rescue Revna but He simply hadn't bothered to don one for the affair. If only to prove to Prazutis and Carnifex that He had indeed returned and He wasn't some trumped up imposter or duplicate.

After a pause He continued in a much quieter tone, His grip on her hand suddenly seeming less stable and more desperate. "You've been out for a couple of days now." The masked man continued with a small sigh. "The...rushed and impromptu operation was hardly ideal as you know. The damage was significant and the lack of immediate medical attention didn't simplify matters." The initial prognoses had been understandably grim but Darth Strosius had held out hope and faith, and had promptly threatened each and every single staff member with impalement if they dared to skimp on their duties tending to Revna. A rather crude yet effective motivator.

"Paralysis was a concern, however some more inventive treatment methods did restore the worst of the damage. Although physical therapy has been recommended given the extent of it." Plans for her recovery had been thought up however as she had still been unconscious until now none of them had any real development beyond some basic notions. Her state of being would need to be established first before any solid plans could be put into action after all.

Revna Marr

 

[Revna Marr]

To Revna’s surprise…her hand was captured by one of His, and feeling the physical presence of it - solid and strong - began to clear away any of the lingering doubts she had about the reality of His existence. The rest of those doubts vanished into thin air when He surprised her further by gently reaching out to wipe away the tears that had dripped down her cheeks. It was an incredibly tender gesture, from a man who had always been somewhat aloof and stiff with such actions. It was all that was needed for the dam that held back everything to truly begin cracking, though she tried to maintain control of herself.

This moment…was almost too good to be true. After everything she had endured, all that she had fought through, survived… the nightmare was finally over.

She was home.

It took her several moments to pull herself together, but she managed to do so enough so that she could hear what Strosius had to say to her next. He confirmed that it was indeed Him, in the flesh, before He paused, His grip on her hand becoming almost desperate, less stable. She refused to let go of it, acting as a sort of anchor for them both. She had learned that much could be said in such moments of physical contact - more than what any words could ever hope to convey.

She listened as He revealed to her the events that had transpired since their escape from Dromund Kaas. She’d been out for a few days, it would seem…and as she knew they would be, her injuries had been grim and severe. The surgery had not been ideal…none of what needed to happen to keep her alive had been ideal…but it had been enough.

There had been a concern about paralysis, but He seemed to indicate that there had been some sort of intervention to prevent that from being the case. She would still need physical therapy, but no doubt how much or how little she would need all depended on how well she could move now that she was awake.

She sniffled slightly as she sucked in a breath, tried to calm herself enough so she could speak to Him without her words being muffled behind tears, but there was just too much there, and it was all overwhelming. Revna finally turned her face, her gaze, back towards Him. She was no longer hiding the raw emotional side of her, the side that had wept bitterly after His death. The side that had fought against her captors, and suffered for it.

“...I…I was there…” she began, pausing as she heaved a sob. “I…they made me w-watch.”

Try as she might she couldn’t stop the flood of emotions as everything surged through her and the dam truly broke free then. The air seemed to chill briefly as the tide broke and her emotions bled into the space around them: hot anger, bitter sorrow, the agonizing pain of loss, and more…it was all there.

“He promised me…” she seemed to whimper, her voice holding the edge of raw anger, as her vision blurred further as more tears welled up. She was past the point where she could control their flow now.

Suddenly, holding His hand with her own wasn’t enough for Revna. Strength, what little she had, and determination, surged through her. She used her grip on Him as leverage as she practically threw herself off the hospital bed, caring little for IVs or anything else attached to her in that moment. Her feet, tingling and numb, hit the ground and her knees somewhat buckled - but she pushed through it, as she reached up with her free hand and gripped the front of His robes. In the next moment, she had released His hand and had wrapped her arms around Him, holding Him in a fierce hug as the torrent of emotions continued to flood through her.

“I-I thought I lost You… I thought I lost my…” she wheezed through her tears, abruptly stopping as tightness began constricting her throat too much to continue. Around them, the monitors for her vitals began to fire off with her distress, but she ignored them all. Her pulse spiked, her heart rate running faster and faster. Holding onto Him in a fierce embrace wasn’t a Sith apprentice, a Disciple, or even a Wonosan: just a young woman who had watched her father die, only to have Him returned to her. She was the most human, the most real, she could ever be in that moment.

“Don’t ever d-do that to m-me ag-again.” she said through shuddered sobs as she squeezed her eyes shut against the fabric of His robes. “Please!...please…”

Darth Strosius ​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Revna took the rather grim recollection of her current state fairly well thankfully, seemingly just relieved to be in safe hands instead of being distressed at her condition. Good, that was what He had hoped for. Physical impairment only meant so much in regards to Himself but for Revna or indeed anyone else it was a very serious and important topic to consider. Luck and the blessings of the Force had ensured as smooth of a recovery as could be expected for her thus far but it had never been a guarantee.

Especially not with most methods of healing via the Force being all but useless given the void within her being. An exceptionally annoying thing which had overcomplicated and almost foiled Darth Strosius at every turn. But He had found ways still. Just enough to push beyond the boundaries and limitations of what conventional medical attention wouldn't have been able to mend for her. Just barely enough. Not that He intended to share such...sordid details at the moment of course.

Not when Revna's distress surged back to the forefront in the form of her admittance to being at the scene of His demise, a fact which still made His blood run even colder as He set His jaw at the reminder. "I know. I heard you when, well right before I...well." He cleared His throat to punctuate the remark before He spoke the reality aloud. Clearly she didn't need to hear it from Him given her current state. She'd seen and sensed it firsthand, although thankfully she was spared the worst facets of His death from His perspective. A very minor solace.

"Who promised what? What are you-Revna!"

Darth Strosius took a reflexive step back as she suddenly leapt up, a maneuver which He wouldn't have believed Revna to be capable of had He not just witnessed it. Wires and even some machinery clattered the the ground as she moved and ripped or yanked them off of herself in the process, creating quite the racket which He couldn't care any less about as her arms wrapped around Him. The masked man froze at the contact, tensing and bristling as though preparing to make a leap of His own out of her touch.

Instead, in spite of His initial shock, He returned the gesture and looped His arms behind her back. Half to help steady and keep her upright given her wobbling knees and half to reassure her that He was indeed there for her. Even if this manner of comfort was something very unfamiliar to Him He had no qualms about doing His best to provide. Darth Strosius shot the machinery a small glare at their whining and beeping, finding the noise very offensive to the tender moment as Revna clung to Him.

He silenced them with a thought manifested into an unseen will that muted them all, His hands occupied with keeping her up and idly tracing patterns into her back. "I'm here my dear, I'm here." He shifted and very barely rested the cheek of His mask against the top of her head as she clung onto Him tighter, patting her back as His arms grew more secure around her. "Forgive me for my failure. I made a series of mistakes that I intend to never repeat again. Not the least of which being allowing you to be taken away."

He reached a hand up to idly stroke her hair as He spoke, His tone low and quiet yet easily filling the otherwise almost silent room. "I won't ever allow myself to fail you as I did that day. If I had known then, if I had been stronger, if I hadn't accepted Malum's distraction at all. I would have been there for you much sooner. I'm so very sorry Revna, but I'm here now." For what it was worth after all that she had been through because of His failure, He was present here.

"I'd have torn down that whole damned planet just to get you back." He let out a hollow chuckle. "You would have ridiculed me for my plan to assault the Malsheem to get you back. I can see it now, the chastisement." He took in an amused breath but let it out with a slight sigh. "I wasn't there to protect you as I should have been. I'm so terribly sorry for all that you had to suffer because of me. Rest assured my dear, it will never happen again. I will never lose you again." He hoped He could keep that promise. The way He spoke of it He almost convinced even Himself that He could.

Revna Marr

 

[Revna Marr]

​

In her bid to reach him, Revna hardly heard or noticed His spoken words - though she did somewhat hear Him ask into who had promised her what - before He practically had to catch her and hold her up as she threw caution to the wind and made to hug Him close. Despite the scene, despite who and what they were, Revna simply couldn’t stop herself from going through that moment and releasing all of what had built up within her for so long. It wasn’t a pretty scene to behold; it was raw and deep and without the typical veils that Sith wore. She clung to Strosius as if He was a life line in a raging sea, afraid that if she let go…He would vanish. But such were the insensibilities of wild emotion; normally, she fought such things, held them back…denied them. But not here, and not now.

To her surprise, her relief…Strosius didn’t push her away when she embraced Him. He stiffened, caught off guard no doubt, but then He returned the hug…holding her close as she stammered a response into His question on who she was talking about, the agony of the betrayal she felt sharp and clear in her broken voice. "M-Mal-um! H-he p-prom-ised me he wou-wouldn't k-kill You! He...he..." In the background, the various machines alarmed and beeped and made their racket…but were silenced under the power of the Sith Lord. All that could be heard then was Revna’s muffled and quiet sobs, and His voice as He spoke to her, poured out His own confessions…His guilt. She heard Him, but she didn’t have the strength to respond back…not in the moment, not with how she was.

The moments slipped by; seconds ticked into minutes, and slowly Revna seemed to pull herself together. The sobbing quieted, the shudders stilled, her heavy and rapid breathing slowed. Sensation…as well as her mind…was coming back to her. Clarity, awareness, returned - and with it came the understanding of where she was at, and what she was doing.

With it came the ache…not just emotional but physical pain too. Her body hurt, far beyond what she thought it would. But she was no longer a stranger to pain; it was an uncomfortable annoyance at best, now. What really bothered her, however, was the numb tingling in her feet and legs. She couldn’t really feel herself standing, and as such Strosius was practically holding her up for the most part.

Once the tears had stopped flowing and she had dabbed the tears from her face and wiped her lashes so she could see, she slowly disengaged herself, indicating that she wanted to sit or rest somewhere, and to give Him space once more. Though she was unable to truly use her own two feet at the moment, she was too stubborn to not try and situate herself back on the medial bed she’d spent days upon. It took her several minutes, but once she was finally seated, she was able to take a deep and shuddering breath to steady herself. Force, she was tired. She’d never felt so tired before in her life, and yet she did nothing with it. She could rest later, after she had finally cleared some of the air between herself and the man she had embraced as her father.

Revna used the edge of her robe she was dressed in to clear off her face, before she simply looked at Darth Strosius in silence for several heartbeats. She had heard everything He had said, and she let it all roll through her mind again. His guilt was palpable, the if’s ringing loud and clear. They both broke her heart and angered her at the same time. He had also made a promise, or what sounded like a promise, near the end of her hysterics.

He’d never lose her again.

To hear Him say such a thing, in fact to hear Him admit to His own failures, His mistakes…now that was something new, and she took note of it...along with the barely visible glimmers of those strange tendrils she'd seen on Dromund Kaas. They were not as visible as they had been then, and she found herself wondering why that was. If His presence in Force hadn't felt so convincingly familiar, she would have thought Him an imposter.

After several long moments of silence…Revna finally spoke, having found the courage and strength to do so, despite the tiredness she felt. “I won’t lie…I harbored a lot of anger towards You for what happened. So many things could have been handled…done…differently. We never would have ended up in this mess…” she stopped speaking for a moment, a hard lump forming in her throat again. “-but I suppose, in the end…none of that matters now. You’re here, I’m here…even after everything…” her voice trailed off, quiet and reflective for a moment. She heaved another deep and shuddering sigh, and looked down at her hands, idly tracing the new tattoos and sigils that marked her skin - a reminder of what had happened, what she had been through. What she had survived, that she had proven herself, despite the odds stacked against her.

“...we both learned very valuable lessons. We both made mistakes and had to learn from them…or be erased. I grew from mine…I had to…and I hope You learned and grew from Your experience too…” Revna cleared her throat before she lifted her face to look back into His visor.

“I know how I survived through everything that happened but…how…” A frown crinkled the skin on her forehead for a moment, “I felt You…the connection we had built…I felt it snap. Then there was just..ash…” There was a long pause, before she finally summoned the courage to ask the question that had been at the forefront of her mind since she realized it was Him on Dromund Kaas.

“...how are You alive?”

Darth Strosius
​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius raised an eyebrow at the mention of Malum, confusion written across His hidden features. When had Revna had the time to speak with Malum about such a thing? Had she thought that He would lose? To Malum?! He was hurt by the insinuation, even if it had wound up being a true one. None of this was shown to Revna of course however, He simply kept holding her close and letting her have her time to shed tears and woes. Although He did make a note to speak with her later on about that particular topic.

It took some time but she did finally begin to quiet her sobs of her accord, a process that He didn't hasten but simply observed and did His best to aid, and soon enough their embrace had shifted into Him trying to help guide her back onto the bed. She hadn't made use of her legs in days and more than likely there was still some healing to be done with the part of her spine which controlled them to begin with. She didn't ask for His help of course, nor did He simply pick her up and place her back on the bed as He probably should have.

Rather He did His best to help her along to where she wanted at her own pace. A slow and unsteady pace but one that did prove successful nonetheless. Darth Strosius did make another note about reaffirming a schedule for physical therapy during the ordeal, but didn't voice any thoughts on the matter for the moment. There was a silence which reigned between them as she situated herself and finished wiping off her cheeks, with the masked man busying Himself by idly fixing the machinery and their connections to Revna back into place. As well as turning their volume back on at a much lower setting than they had been earlier.

When she spoke up again He paused His fiddling and hummed in agreement before continuing His work. "Your anger isn't misplaced nor unwarranted." He spoke when she paused, finishing up with the machinery and crossing back over to the other side of the bed where His chair sat. "We may have wound up together again no matter the circumstances, but there can be no doubt that the arduous hurdles you endured were unavoidable had I been more wise and as strong as I believed myself to be." He should have wrung the throats of those Raaf brats and rigged the Kaggath in His favor rather than attempting fair maneuvers. Next time He would not be so generous and honorable, there was no point in it.

Not when it had led to Revna suffering and His Order nearly collapsing in the wake of His own demise. Darth Strosius had indeed made many mistakes, but He had yet to repeat them. Any of them. The masked man let out a hollow chuckle at her words, sinking into the chair and glancing at His gloved hands for a moment. "I've grown more than I ever thought possible..." More than should have been possible really. If only He could have done so without so much loss to trigger it.

When she spoke again He snapped out of His little reminiscing musing to return her gaze with His own visored one, growing eerily still as she finally asked the question of the hour as it were. Darth Strosius had perished. Right before the eyes of not only Revna but for the entire Sith Order to see. And yet here He sat. Perhaps not whole nor entirely restored in any sense of the word, but still present and alive in spite of His death. He sat back in the seat and forced Himself to sink further into it, crossing one leg over the other as He folded His hands together in His lap.

"It may be hard to believe what I'm about to tell you, my dear Revna, but it is the truth." A rather small prefaced warning was all that Darth Strosius gave before He continued, allowing no room for response. "I died that day. I pushed my body beyond the brink of its capabilities, I had learned that the devotion and compassion that my followers held for me could be used to...enhance my own power. I initially intended to use such power to fell the corpse on his false throne but Malum proved a more capable foe than I had been expecting and as such I was forced to reveal my hand early."

He shifted slightly in His seat, the pale tendrils leaking from His robes becoming far more apparent as though in anticipation of His words. "You remember when I told you that I myself was never very naturally Force Sensitive yes? That my blessings were miniscule compared to the other Sith and even yourself? I had thought that this technique would be the solution to that problem. What I had failed to account for is that despite all of my enhancements to my own form over the years and even my own natural Sangnir physical aspects, it was still too much for me to handle. I was coming apart at the seams before Malum's blade ever entered my chest."

There was no small part of Him that still ached at the memory of that day. A soreness akin to phantom pain. "When I perished, my very would was wrenched apart. My meddling with my body had resulted in some of it becoming far more attached to my physical form than it should have been, but the Force itself and the souls of all those attached to me at the time pulled me to become one with the Force as all do after death. There was a tear. A messy, painful, sickening tear."

Darth Strosius smothered a shudder at the thought, His tendrils lengthening and curling around Him as He continued. "Malum managed to get my body and its flickering remnants of my being into medical attention, although I wasn't exactly living in any real sense of the word. He did ensure my resurrection by doing so however. The rest of me which was pulled into the afterlife did not join with the Force as all others do, but I do remember seeing it. Feeling it."

His rather grim tone grew more wistful as He spoke of the Force, His head lolling back slightly as if recalling a fond memory instead of the dreadful one of His death. "It was endless, Revna. The Force stretched out before me as an ocean, as currents of life and past lives all flowing together into one beautiful tapestry. I don't think words, or any mortal depictions, could ever do it justice." He let out a contented sigh and seemed to almost relax for a moment before continuing with His former tone as He sat up again.

"I was pulled from joining with the Force, the remnants of my martyred flowing in communion with me, to meet with the Force's will itself. The Dark Side manifested itself before me. A pale face fitted with crimson eyes and tears." There was a pause, a breath of reverence, before continuing. "It didn't speak but I understood all the same. I had been prevented from becoming one with the Force for a purpose." He hesitated to outright label the event a blessing given the peace He almost possessed, but it was very much still divine intervention all the same.

"My souls were reunited, for the most part, within my damaged body and the next thing that I knew I was blinking myself awake in a bacta tank in the Marr palace. In the process the valiant martyrs that had empowered me and died with me were...coalesced into my being as well." Finally He acknowledged the tendrils with a tilt of His head, letting them have their moment of freedom before He rather abruptly pulled them back to hide behind Himself. "I came back to the land of the living more than I was but not whole at the same time. Overstretched but incomplete. It is...a rather jarring existence I must say."

Revna Marr

 

[Revna Marr]

​

Revna was still and quiet when Strosius told her that what He had to say would be hard to believe, but that it was nonetheless true, before He carried forward with recounting the events of that dreadful day with her. It was hard to hear that He had indeed died that day…that what she had felt had been real. Much of what had happened in the immediate aftermath had been lost to her - as she had been consumed in her grief, and whisked away before anyone or anything else could happen. As painful as it was to hear, though, she kept her silence and gave Him the space to speak without interruption, and she hung on to every word He spoke.

The more He shared, the more her jaw dropped open at the revelation of it all. He had been right, it was hard to believe…but she did believe it. No Sith was immune to lying or stretching the truth, but this held such a sacred air about that she knew in her soul that her Master would never lie about such a thing, or fabricate such a story.

The more He spoke and revealed, the more the pale tendrils around Him seem to coalesce and brighten, wrapping around Him almost protectively. It was such a sight to behold, that she couldn’t help but trace them with her eyes with awe. They were a manifestation of the truth of what He told her, the authenticity of His tale…His rebirth.

His resurrection.

Revna had done her studies into the Force, and the supposed ‘Will of the Force’; she knew that it ran contrary for someone not to become one with the Force, and be returned back to the great cosmic web upon death. To hear that He had been spared that, plucked from that…made a chill run over her flesh. His presence in the Force had felt different to her…and now she knew why.

He had been chosen, spared, for a purpose.

Perhaps…they had been re-united so that she could help Him achieve that purpose? The thought slipped through her mind, though she kept it to herself for the moment. Even if that wasn’t the case, she would do whatever it took within her means to help her Master, her Lord, her Father achieve whatever work He needed to do.

She was pulled from her thoughts, her musings, when He mentioned how Malum had tried to take measures to save His life…though it had been a little too late. Though she still felt a bitter anger and resentment towards her cousin for what he did that day, some of that resentment slipped away. Perhaps…she had misunderstood his intentions. Perhaps things hadn’t gone according to his plans, and he had tried to salvage what he could.

The truth in the end, however, came from Strosius’s lips: Malum had done what he could to save his brother’s life - and if it hadn't been for those efforts…then perhaps Strosius wouldn’t even be alive.

Or maybe he would be, but existing in a different body instead of this broken one?

Her Master’s recounting of His moment with death made Revna recall her own moments when she herself had died and been brought back to life…over and over again. Perhaps, she would be able to share with Him that horrific moment in her life. She wanted to…if only to tell another soul of what she had to endure, of what she lived through. But she waited. This was His moment, His story to tell.

Silence reigned between Revna and the Sith Lord for a long time after He had finished speaking. She was without words in the moment, her face an expression of awe as she grappled with it all. Finally, she found her voice, and the ability to speak.

“I…wow.” was all she could say for a moment, exhaling softly as she shifted once more to get a little more comfortable, lifting her gaze to the ceiling above her head for a few moments. “That is…incredible. Yes…hard to believe…but I believe You.”

She dropped her face to look back at him, her expression serious. “I know that most Sith would fabricate such a thing, make themselves look better than they are…but I know You. You would never profane such a sacred experience like that with a lie. Besides…” her eyes traveled then over the pale tendrils once more. “- There is literally proof sprouting out of Your back that You experienced something profound. I wonder…I wonder who that was that You saw…”

Was it the face of their God? Perhaps. Revna had been subjected to many different beliefs over the course of her capture, and though she never let anyone in on her thoughts…she had begun to doubt her beliefs, had begun to doubt that the Force was a divine entity at all, and that she had been misled, misguided.

But hearing this story from Him? It renewed her faith in ways she never dreamed possible.

Let other Sith Lords, or Dark Lords, spout what they thought to be true about the Force. All the proof she needed was sitting right in front of her, sharing His story with her. It would be impossible for her to hide that awe that rippled across her face as she gazed upon Darth Strosius.

“I…I don’t know what purpose You have in this life of Yours, but clearly You were meant to be here. Whatever…whatever it is, I-” Revna paused for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts, before she continued. “I am…so thankful that You were given that second chance. And…I- I am glad You are alive. More than ‘glad’. I am overjoyed. In disbelief a little…”

She huffed softly, a scoff as she turned her face away from His for a moment. “It…it’s hard to believe that after everything… You are alive, sitting in front of me. It makes the nightmare I went through worth it.” she gave Him a small half smile, sitting for a few moments in silence, content to just exist for the moment. Her thoughts swirled, clearer as each moment passed by and the IV drip renewed her strength, what little she had of it at the moment anyway. She pondered on something that she had thought about many times while on Korriban, after His loss. The fact that He was something more to her now than just her Master. Revna never thought she’d get to say it to His face, or have the chance, the opportunity, for that heart to heart conversation.

But they were here now. And she couldn’t let another moment go by before re-affirming what she had called Him.

“I meant what I said, by the way…on Dromund Kaas. When I thought I wasn’t going to make it out of there alive. When I labeled You 'Father.' ” Pale golden eyes locked onto His visor. “That was my great regret when You died…not telling You sooner. I wasn’t going to die with that regret on my soul. I was too afraid to tell You before everything happened…too afraid that You would reject that. I’m not living by my regret and my fear anymore. I suppose I just wanted You to hear it again…and know that I meant that. My hope…is that You will accept that from me. But I will understand if that is too much. Even if You don’t accept it…it won’t change how I see You, who You have become to me.”

Darth Strosius ​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius smothered a smirk at the initially exasperated response, seeming to relax somewhat from His previous tense posture when she did admit to believing Him in spite of His rather bold claims. Revna was spot on about many Sith both past and present making claims of grandeur and importance, boasting to be above mortal concerns and stipulations simply to soothe their own pride and ego. The Sepulchral even made such a thing the basis of their heretical Eternalist teachings.

Yet where they were all letting out hot air, Darth Strosius had seen the divine with His own presence and His followers knew well enough that He would never lie about such an encounter. Revna of course being no exception. The tendrils twitched at their mention, visibly growing more prominent before a rather rough shrug of His shoulders diminished them once more. "Yes. Unfortunately there is indeed proof leaking out of me." He still didn't care much for the offending phantom limbs. Although He had grown accustomed to their presence, the reminder of His failure that they embodied was still too much to bear.

"I actually have an answer for that, but we can discuss matters of revelation later when you're in better health." Since His revival Darth Strosius had barely paused in His search for more information about the Dark Side's face and His own purpose that it had silently asked of Him. It hadn't been a simple matter at all but He found more than a few connecting threads and familiar depictions to find what He was looking for. Thankfully it seemed as though He wasn't the first prophet to be blessed with the visage of the Force.

The masked man sat forward in His seat as Revna paused, finding Himself smiling as she expressed her gratitude at His resurrection. "The Force has seen fit to bestow me with the gift of life a second time. Rest assured that I intend to spend this second chance fully dedicated to the Dark Side in order to repay this holy blessing." He paused as she very briefly mentioned her own hardships, His hidden smile falling as His fangs ground together briefly. "That nightmare is long over now Revna. And it shall never repeat. For as long as I live you shall never be subjected to such torment ever again."

He wasn't just given a second chance at life to carry out the will of the Force, but also to undo His mistakes and failings of the past. He was certain of that. It simply had to be true and the only evidence for it being so that He needed was sitting right in front of Him. Despite the impenetrable fortress on Dromund Kaas, despite having to face off against the vile heads of the Kainate themselves, despite her death in the wake of His own being an easily foreseen result, she was here. Safe and reunited with the Order of Wonosa once again.

Luck so rarely favored Him, thankfully the Force was far more giving.

Darth Strosius froze as she spoke up again and mentioned the last words that she told Him on Dromund Kaas, the title that she had granted Him. Father. He sat still and tense as she continued and reaffirmed that it wasn't some mere remark spoken by a pain addled mind. That it was genuine, that she considered herself His daughter. When she expressed her hope that He would return the sentiment, He didn't speak at first. He didn't move at all for a few long moments as His visor was locked with her gaze.

Finally though His gloved fingers slowly reached up and hooked into the sides of His mask, just behind the prongs on the bottom, and unlatched it with a barely audible hiss. The mask was pulled off, revealing the pale face which had come so boldly to rescue her. Darth Strosius's features were tired despite the youth that comprised them, far more exhausted and hollow than usual it seemed. The bags beneath His golden eyes were actually visible for once even with the dark tattooed blade edges covering them.

He took a breath and set the helmet down on His lap, His gaze meeting Revna's without the barrier of glass between them as it usually was. "For a very long time, I had no family." He blinked, a surprisingly Human motion as He sat back in His seat, gaze still fixed on hers but with a distant look in His golden eyes. "My parents died when I was just a boy back on Kessel. I never knew if I had any more relatives, but it didn't matter in the end anyway. It wasn't until after my followers and I fled from the falling Sith Empire that I really thought about family again."

Without the slight modulation of His mask His voice had a distinct reverb to it, as though His words were trailed by multiple repetitions in slightly different tones. A strained smile crossed His features as He smirked and let out a little scoff. "Salneva became my confidant in those days. She was the only one that I could vent to, the only one I could be weak in front of. The others needed me to be strong, they needed a leader they could be confident in. They couldn't see my doubts, my pain, my regret. But Salneva was willing to be a shoulder when I needed it. We were like siblings, I think. Bonded and willing to hold one another up. She was the first of Wonosa that I began to consider more than my follower, but not the last."

He leaned back and laced His fingers behind His head, still smiling as He reminisced. "I got to watch families start and grow, and they all looked to me not just as a leader but as a friend. A protector, a teacher, a godfather in some cases. I started to become more and more attached to all of my followers. Their stories and mine intertwined. I care deeply for them, I wish to see them all prosper and succeed and find content with their lives. And then, you came along."

The distant look in His eyes left as He looked back at Revna properly. "You reminded me so much of myself. More than anyone else that had come to be shielded beneath my care. I wanted to do right by you. I wanted to make sure that you didn't make the same mistakes that I did. That you could be better than I was. More whole and complete without all the struggle I had to endure to get to where I was. You became my quick favorite for that reason alone, much to the chagrin of your fellow Squires."

Darth Strosius chuckled and let out a small hum before sitting up again and reaching out a hand, offering it to her. "I would be honored to be considered your father, my dear Revna. If you are willing to call yourself my daughter after all that I have failed to do for you, then I can confidently say that you have already become a much better person than I. I'd love nothing more than to cement the beginning of my second life with you as my beloved daughter."

Revna Marr

 

[Revna Marr]

​

When Strosius told her that He actually had an answer as to who He might have seen upon death, Revna’s curiosity was roused further - and as such she pouted when He declared that they would go over such a revelation when she was in ‘better health’. She almost argued with Him…but decided that ultimately He was right. Truthfully there was much for them to discuss, but it would all happen in due time.

After sharing His experience with her and hearing what she had to say about it all, the man sat forward in the chair that had been His home for the last few days, and expressed His own agreement and gratitude for the blessing of a second chance that He had been given. He told her that He intended to be dedicated to the Dark side this time around - and silently she wondered if He would actually be willing to be so dedicated.

Revna knew very well the cost of being dedicated to the Dark side; knew very well the sacrifices it made its servants face in pursuit of it.

Her somber and thoughtful expression shifted when she heard Him announce that she would never have to be subjected to the torment she had experienced while in captivity - not while He lived, anyway. The solemn and seriousness of His tone told her that He would fight with every breath in His body to keep that promise - and she believed Him.

When Revna finally brought up the topic of her calling Him father, and laying out her hope that He would accept that from her - she noticed Him grow very still in His seat. For several long and admittedly terrifying moments, He remained silent after she had finished sharing her heart to Him. She was just beginning to believe her fears had been right and He would reject that, when He did something that completely caught her by surprise.

He lifted His hands up to His mask - and removed it.

Her surprise was evident upon her pale face - eyes a touch wide as she was able to see Him face to face. That moment was special, sacred, even. For the second time, though really it felt like the first time, she was able to see Darth Strosius unmasked. Though He sported that incredibly youthful face, a youth she knew that was granted with Him being a Highblood Sangnir, it still showed the tell tale signs of exhaustion. The dark blade-like tattoos underneath His golden eyes hardly hid the dark bags that shadowed His eyes. The sight of it, of how tired He looked…tugged at her heart.

Strosius…or perhaps who she was looking at now was Alisteri…took a breath and set His mask in His lap before He lifted His eyes to hers as he began the process of responding to her. Revna hung onto every word He spoke, never taking her eyes off of His face.

He spent a few moments reminiscing with her, discussing the topic of ‘family’, bringing to light the unique bond that He shared with Salneva and with all His followers. A faint smile curled at Revna’s lips as she listened, a warmth blooming in her chest to hear how much He truly cared for His people. She’d seen that in Him herself, when she had been shadowing Him that first year as an Acolyte under His guidance. She had always noticed the devotion, loyalty, and dedication His followers gave to Him…and she understood why. He never ruled them through fear or with a cruel, iron fist like most Sith might have. He cared for their needs, looked out for their best interests. He fought for them, He guarded and guided them, He was their spiritual leader…and it paid off in the devotion and loyalty they gave to Him in return. Even after His passing, they adhered to His teachings so fervently. He had left a mark on them all, made an impression within their minds and souls.

It was why Revna had become so loyal and devoted herself…why losing Him had ripped a hole in heart, and left behind a Void. Why having Him back now meant so much to her.

He was family.

She was still and quiet when Strosius brought her into His reminiscing. Her smile grew wider when He told her how she had reminded Him of Himself, how He had wanted to do right by her. Guide her to be a better person than He had been. How she had become His favorite, to the displeasure of her fellow Squires. It had always been a rumor that she was favored amongst them all. It had caused some friction between her and the others, but she had never truly believed it. To hear Him confess to it now though made her smirk even further, as if to say ‘I knew it!’.

Strosius surprised her once more when He sat up and extended a hand of His to her of His own accord - and told her how He would be honored to be her Father. A great flood of emotions washed through Revna with the declaration. Relief, happiness, joy, excitement…it was all there when she reached out to take His offered hand. It was a surreal moment, a bonding moment…something she had yearned for, for a long time.

Revna was quiet for several moments, just letting the moment speak for itself, before finding her voice again as she gave His hand a squeeze. “I am happy to be Your daughter…and I don’t care if You feel like You’ve failed me. If we are going by that, then I’ve failed You too, numerous times. And yet You still came for me, still faced overwhelming odds to get me back. You…You did that without even knowing if I was still loyal or even if I was still alive. It’s like You had faith in me or something…”

She trailed off, the small smile that had bloomed on her face being replaced by one of thought and curiosity. “How…how did You know where to find me? It’s not like we had that…connection that we did before You died. So I know You didn’t use that to track me down…and it was not announced where I was headed when I left Korriban. I did that on purpose. How…how did You figure out I was on Dromund Kaas?”

Darth Strosius ​

 

[Darth Strosius]

All tension within His shoulders vanished the instant that Revna took His offered hand, His fanged smile growing more relaxed for a few moments as she spoke. "There wasn't a doubt in my mind that you'd find a way to survive even in your dismal position. You've dealt with far worse than simple heretics such as the Kainate." He chuckled at the mention of her loyalty, clearly having not even considered her ever turning against Him. Who in their right mind would want to serve the Kainites? Revna was far smarter than that.

As the question of how her rescue came about, an oddly sheepish expression crossed His pale features. He cleared His throat and shifted in His seat, idly drumming His gloved fingers against the helmet in His lap as He seemed almost reluctant to respond at first. "Well...I...didn't quite know that you were on the planet when we decided on the plan to rescue you." He hadn't known that she was there at all until He made it into the throne room if He was to be completely honest.

"I had assumed you would have been moved to the Malsheem after trying to come face to face with Prazutis. Knowledge of my return had no doubt reached the Kainites by then so it only made sense that they would have brought you back to somewhere I couldn't retrieve you from. My journey to Dromund Kaas wasn't to rescue you, it was to capture Prazutis." More than likely with some barely non-lethal maiming inflicted upon the Shadow Hand during the ordeal, just to ensure he couldn't get away or be a threat of course.

"Nothing short of a Sith Legion could storm the Malsheem by force so I figured the best way to ensure your safe return was a hostage transfer. Carnifex wouldn't dare risk Prazutis's capture or demise being made public as that would ruin the Kainate illusion of superiority, thus he would have easily agreed to give you up in exchange for the return of his horrid uncle." He stated it so matter-of-factly in spite of how dangerous and difficult such a plan would have been. Something which He did seem to be aware of even if He didn't admit it.

"Luckily for us, the Kainites were foolish enough to keep you on Dromund Kaas and let me waltz right into Prazutis's throne room where you were." He shrugged nonchalantly. "That is why you must never give into pride my dear Revna. Had they been even a slight bit more cautious we wouldn't be speaking right now, but they weren't." A blessing from the Force and a failure on the part of their enemies in equal measure. A very fortunate combination of factors indeed.

Revna Marr

 

[Revna Marr]

It was so good to see the tension that had plagued her Master, her father, drop away - and a sense of contentedness filled her sore and tired form to see the relaxed, if somewhat fanged, smile He gave her. It was a reminder to her of his Sangnir nature - though she was thankful in that moment that He had revealed to her who and what He was prior to this moment and His unmasking. Otherwise she would have probably been startled, then drowned Him in an endless sea of questions and poking and prodding to better understand Him.

However, as He began to speak and divulge a little more about how He had found her…she felt her own contentment shifted into tension, into…disbelief. An eyebrow arched as her facial expression turned into one of ‘are you serious right now?!’.

The Kainites…’simple heretics’?!

The more He spoke and revealed, the more Revna realized that she needed to educate the man. Her eyes narrowed, twitched even at times, at what she heard…but she kept her tongue silent. She had learned, the hard way, never to speak or cut off a Sith Lord when they were talking. She mentally tracked His words, His statements...and waited patiently for Him to finish.

She almost choked when she heard that His plan had been to kidnap Prazutis of all people and force a hostage transfer. Was…was He being serious?! Please Bogan tell me He’s not being serious…was all she could think as her mouth fell ajar in her incredulity.

Silence reigned between the two Sith when Darth Strosius had finally finished…Revna could only blink at Him as she tried to comprehend everything, tried to make sense. How…how was she going to respond back to Him and stay respectful?

No. Kark that. This was not something she could simply beat around the bush on. She needed to be blunt with Him - and hoped that it got through His thick skull.

Revna took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, tearing her eyes off her father’s tired face to look down at her hands. “As it ever occurred to You, maybe, that one of the mistakes that You were supposed to learn from Your death and for this second chance at life…was not to take Your enemies lightly? You woefully underestimate Your enemies…and that was a mistake that cost You not only Your life…but the lives of Your followers.” she said softly, lifting her eyes that now burned a little brighter, back to Him. “And it nearly cost me my life…because when I was captured…I believed what You had taught me about them.”

Her face grew deadly serious then. “You think You know what they are capable of…and I will not discount the history You have with them…but they are far more powerful than You imagine. They were not ‘simple heretics’ for me to face…I had to resort to every ounce of cunning and deceit and strength in order to survive what I was faced with. I have felt the power of the Dark Side. I’ve drank it in, bathed in the power of planet sized nexi…and this..their darkness…was…” she trailed off, her eyes somewhat haunted. “If You have learned anything from what happened…please let it be that You have learned not to underestimate the Sith You hate. If You haven’t…then you are doomed to repeat history.” Her eyes and expression hardened then, to cold stone almost. “And I will not let You do such a stupid thing. I lost You once, I’m not losing You again.”

She paused and took a breath and continued, before He could interject or speak against what she had to say. “I was taken aboard the Malsheem after my capture. It was where I…endured everything that I did…up until the moment of the Kaggath. I lived within a room provided to me…well, I should say I existed within that chamber. I didn’t really have any rest. Maybe a few hours at most.” Revna fell into a brief lapse of remembrance, her gaze becoming even more haunted and distant than usual.

“Anyway…I was forced to adhere to a strict structure, after I proved my worth to Prazutis and he chose to spare my life instead of executing me. I remained there…until I…until the Kaggath happened. Then I…I left for Korriban…where I remained until Prazutis summoned me to Dromund Kaas. I didn’t know…what was to happen to me. I expected two outcomes…to either kneel and accept the mantle as a Kainite…or to be executed.”

She returned her eyes to Him, her smile gone as an expression of hollowness replaced it. “Also…You are a fool if You believe for a single moment that it was their pride that allowed You ‘waltz’ into the Citadel. They knew You were coming, long before Your feet ever touched the ground. They set a trap for You…that is why You were allowed to come as easily as You did. You were my final test…my final test of allegiance, of obedience. I was ordered to kill You, though they didn’t tell me it was You…and because of the device on my back…I had to obey. Or at least…make them believe I was obeying them. We are only speaking right now, because all the work I’ve done, every sacrifice and betrayal I’ve had to make since my capture to manipulate and outsmart them worked.”

Her attention returned to her hands, as the ache to tell Him everything continued to build within her. “There is much I am not telling You. Much I have kept from You. I just wanted to try and correct some of Your assumptions that You’ve made. I want to tell You everything that happened…share with someone the lengths that I had to go through in order to achieve my freedom. What I lived through…but I am afraid of how You will see me by the end of it all.”

Darth Strosius ​